Sections

Saskatchewan-born Tatiana Maslany wins television critics award for role in sci-fi show Orphan Black

Regina-born Tatiana Maslany, 27, won the Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Drama, at the annual critics’ awards recognizing the best in U.S. television Saturday night. Maslany earned the award for her multiple roles in the Toronto-made science-fiction series Orphan Black.Photo: Space/Temple Productions

Alex Strachan

Published: August 4, 2013 - 12:01 AM

Updated: August 3, 2013 - 4:20 PM

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Tatiana Maslany has taken another small step on the road to Hollywood fame and fortune. The 27-year-old Regina, Sask., native won the Television Critics Association Award late Saturday for Individual Achievement in Drama, at the annual critics’ awards recognizing the best in U.S. television.

Maslany earned the award for her multiple roles in the Toronto-made science-fiction parable Orphan Black, which is co-produced by the Bell Media-owned specialty channel Space and by the U.S. cable channel BBC America.

Maslany won the award over a field that included last year’s Emmy Award winners Bryan Cranston, from Breaking Bad, and Claire Danes, from Homeland. The TV Critics Association distinction is unique in that it combines actors and actresses into a single category.

Relatively few TCA Awards are handed out in a single year, which makes the awards more meaningful.

It is the second major award for Maslany in as many months, for a performer who was little-known just a year ago. Maslany won the Critics Choice TV Award for lead actress in a drama series, over a field that included Emmy winner Danes, Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss, The Good Wife’s Julianna Margulies, Bates Motel’s Vera Farmiga and The Americans’ Keri Russell.

Danes, Farmiga and Moss have been nominated for Emmys this year. Maslany was overlooked, however, along with Margulies and Russell.

Earlier in her career, Maslany won a Special Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, for the indie film Grown Up Movie Star. She also won a 2013 ACTRA Award for the film Picture Day, and a 2009 Gemini Award for guest actress in a drama, for Flashpoint.

Until Orphan Black, though, she was relatively unknown.

Orphan Black tells the story of a young woman who discovers she’s one of several different clones living separate lives, each unaware of the others, pawns in a conspiracy and scientific experiment gone wrong. Maslany played all seven characters in Orphan Black’s first season, as well as three characters presumed dead before the series begins.

Maslany was reportedly ill and could not attend Saturday’s ceremony in person. In her Critics’ Choice acceptance speech in June, however, a visibly emotional Maslany told the room, “Our weird little show would be nowhere without you guys talking about it.”

The Critics Choice Award is decided by on-air TV reporters and hosts who cover the entertainment industry, for such programs as Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight. The TCA Award is judged by some 200 print reporters, journalists and columnists who write for major media organizations across the U.S. and Canada, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Associated Press and Postmedia News.

Breaking Bad won the TCA Award for Program of the Year. The Americans won the group’s award for outstanding new series over a field that included Orphan Black. Game of Thrones was named outstanding drama, and The Big Bang Theory and Parks and Recreation tied in votes for outstanding comedy.

Louis C.K. star of the FX cable comedy Louie, won the TCA Award for outstanding individual achievement in comedy.

The HBO film Behind the Candelabra won the award for outstanding movie-or-miniseries, and Shark Tank, the U.S. version of Dragon’s Den, proved a surprise winner for outstanding achievement in reality programming.

All in the Family won the association’s Heritage Award, bestowed annually on a program from the past that made a significant cultural and social impact on society.